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Public Hearing #1

Community Development Block Grant and Community Housing Impact & Preservation Grant

Licking County intends to apply to the Ohio Department Services Agency, Office of Community Development (ODSA/OCD) for funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Small Cities Program, a federally funded program administered by the State. The County is eligible for approximately $400,000 of Fiscal Year 2017 CDBG funding provided the County meets applicable program requirements. This funding must be spent outside the city limits of Newark.

In addition, Licking County intends to apply to ODSA/OCD for Program Year 2017 Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) funds to perform eligible activities provided the County meets applicable program requirements. The CHIP program provides a flexible community-wide approach to improving and preserving Licking County’s existing housing stock that is considered to be affordable to low- and moderate-income persons. It is likely that Licking County and the Cities of Pataskala and Heath will partner in regard to the 2017 CHIP program. If awarded, the funds must be utilized outside of the city limits of Newark.

The first of two (2) public hearings will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, with the first session at 1:30p.m. in Meeting Room A, Basement, in the Donald D. Hill County Administration Building, 20 South Second Street, Newark, Ohio, to provide citizens with information about the CDBG and CHIP programs, including descriptions of the eligible activities and program requirements. The second session will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 10:00a.m. in the office of the Licking County Commissioners, 4th floor, in the Donald D. Hill County Administration Building, 20 South Second Street, Newark, Ohio.

The CDBG program can fund a broad range of activities including economic development projects; street, water supply, drainage, and sanitary sewer improvements; park acquisition and improvements; demolition of unsafe structures; home repairs; and neighborhood facilities and fair housing. The activities must be designed to primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons and/or aid in the prevention or elimination of slum and blight.

In addition to the allocated funds, Licking County is also eligible to apply for any of three (3) competitive programs that address critical infrastructure needs, neighborhood revitalization and downtown revitalization with grants ranging from $300,000 to $500,000. Licking County could also be eligible to apply for Economic Development loans up to $500,000, Economic Development Public Infrastructure grants up to $500,000 and Residential Public Infrastructure grants up to $600,000.

Licking County is also planning a Community Development Implementation Strategy (CDIS) meeting on March 21, 2017 at 2:30p.m. in Room A, Basement, following the 1:30p.m. public hearing. Licking County villages, townships, cities (Newark excluded), various stakeholders such as economic development, community improvement, downtown, and neighborhood organizations, local development, water/sewer districts, community action agencies, and other public service providers/funders are invited to attend. The meeting input will assist the county in developing the Community Development Implementation Strategy (CDIS) for FY2017 and 2018 in order for Licking County to apply for the funding programs mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Citizens are encouraged to attend one or both of the two sessions held on March 21, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. and/or March 23, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. to provide input regarding Licking County’s CDBG and CHIP programs. A second public hearing to discuss selected CDBG projects will be scheduled for late May or early June. A second public hearing to discuss the selected CHIP program(s) will be scheduled for mid-April.